In the Moment
by Mazzie May
Summary: Seifer, in an effort to find a place to be, travels the world. He writes his old instructor, informing her of his findings. His next destination is Esthar.
1. Introduction Part 1

**Authors Note: Here we go…**

**Summary: Seifer, in an effort to find as place where he won't be criticized for what he had done, leaves Garden and travels. He writes his old instructor, informing her of his findings.**

**Rating: Hmm… Let's go with PG – 13 just to be safe on this one.**

**In the Moment**

_By: Mazzie May_

_Introduction Part One_

Quistis smiled at two students that passed by as she made her way back to her classroom. It was just the beginning of lunch, and she'd just snagged her mail from the Instructors Office and planned on using her lunch break to read it. She picked up her pace a bit. She'd received another package from Seifer and wanted to opening it up as soon as she could.

She stepped into her room and dropped the envelopes in a paper tray and set the package on the table. She pulled the letter opener out of her desk drawer and pushed back her long blonde hair. She'd gotten into the habit of wearing it in a nice bun at the base of her neck, but she always took it out at lunch. She stabbed the office instrument into the thick tap, dragging it across. It opened easily enough.

She open the top and was momentarily blinded by a very bright orange object. She blinked and pulled it out. It was a stuffed Momba. It had two cards dangling from it's wrists. The first read:

_Hyne, if this isn't the sickest thing you've ever seen._

She glared at the Momba and felt like hurting Seifer. She rubbed her eyes, still recovering, while she grabbed for the other note. It read:

_Just don't rip his head off._

She smiled. He had his own ways of being charming. She sat found an envelope with a small cartoon of a city in the lower right hand corner, with Delling City written in cursive over the top of it. _Ah, so that's where he is. _She thought. _Boy can travel._

She opened the envelope. 5 Gil dropped out of it and a two page letter revealed itself. She unfolded the letter and began to read, shaking the Gil in her hands

_Instructor._

She smiled a little then. Even though he'd been expelled from Garden, he still called her that.

_I'm here in Delling. Obviously. I'm checking in, as per usual and have nothing really new to report. The train ride here was a little interesting, though. I played cards with these guys in Timber and won the train ticket. And I ended up playing cards with some other guys – Roy Carlstone and Steve the conductor – on the way over, too. I lost, and Roy won. Roy was probably cheating. Fucker._

And once again, a smile graced her face. She'd sat back in the chair, her legs pulled up and the stuffed Mumba pressed in between her breasts and her knees. She reached over and pulled out another onion ring from the bag she'd bought in the cafeteria.

_So, Steve and I planned on beating him up –_

She stopped in mid chew and frowned.

_-well that was the plan, but Roy runs faster than anything. We lost him right away after he got of the train. If I ever find that little bitch, I'll kick his lily ass. Steve said that if I was ever on his train again, that'd he'd let me ride for free. He really didn't seem to care at all that I was the Sorceress Knight. He didn't bring it up and I didn't question it. I guess he's pretty cool._

She fished for another ring.

_But that also means I owe you 50 Gil - _

"Ha!" she said triumphantly. She'd bet him 50 Gil that there were people out there who didn't hate him for being the Knight of a Sorceress.

_which is why I bought the Mumba. It cost 45 Gil. The other 5 Gil are in the envelope._

She looked to the Gil on the desk where she had set it when she sat down. She patted the Mumba's head and continued on.

_Happy? Anyway, I was thinking about –_

Reaching the bottom of the page, she flipped it over and saw nothing was on the back, so she switched to the next page, biting into another ring.

_- going somewhere else. Delling is definitely not where I want to be. They're still throwing fits about Ultemica killing of their President. So, I'm gonna head out in a day or two. I've only been here a day, I've gotten in four fights. No worries, though, I haven't killed anybody. Yet. I'm at the hotel, and my room's 206, just incase you have to check in or something. _

_Tell the chicken-wuss not to wet his bed._

_Seifer _

Quistis frowned. So, he still hadn't found his place yet? Not too much of a surprise, though, about Delling City. It was one of the places the Sorceress effected the most, so it's only natural that they would not welcome her ex-knight.

Standing, she set the Mumba on the table and wiped her fingers on a napkin, before proceeding to out her hair back in its bun. She'd take the Mumba and place it with the other two stuffed animals he'd sent her – a catuar and little blue thing (it's tag had said 'Pupu'.) She really did wish the best for Seifer. He wasn't all bad like everyone thought. Well, at least he keeps in contact with someone. It's a shame though, that he couldn't find a place to be yet.

Obviously Balamb was out, Timber hadn't gone well and now Delling. The bell rang. She placed the box under her desk and set the Mumba in her chair as the students began to enter. Zell and Selphie both sprang in. She smiled to them as they took their seats.

Selphie had let her hair grow. And Grow it did. Her hair grew extremely fast, surprisingly, but her hair looked longer than it was because of her shortness. It touched to just below her waist. She wore her long locks in braided pig tails. Quistis laughed a bit as Zell took the cowboy hat that was on her head and held it up above her, forcing her to try and jump for it. That's is, until she kicked him. Then he gave it back.

_Must've snagged it from Irvine. _Quistis thought as she began sifting through her papers. Zell looked pretty much the same, though he didn't have the chocobo butt-fluff hair style anymore. He'd let the front of his hair down, so he was constantly pushing it away his eyes. She smiled looking down. "Mr. Dincht" she called.

Zell looked up and jogged over to her. "Yes, Instructor Trepe?" he asked, a slight pink to his cheeks, as a few in the class giggled. A serious rumor had spread that the two were a little close for instructor and student. It was total bullshit, and she'd always calmly handled it. But Zell's always been one to fluster easily, so it fueled the fire.

"Mr. Dincht…" she leaned in, and whispered "Don't wet your bed." It took all the effort in her soul not to laugh, but smiling was inevitable. He looked at her with the most confused look in the world. He went back to his seat and stared at her the rest of the class. And when it was through, he walked at the door, he continued looking at her at her, his face asting _What the crap?_

She picked the Momba and held it, leaning back in her seat and laughed.

**Author's Note: Well, weee. First things first: this is not about Quistis. It is about Seifer. This chapter was just showing how things were at Garden. We'll hear about Squall, Rinoa, Irvine, Fujin and Raijin in the next chapter. Also, this is not Quifer. Seifer ends up with someone that no one else has thought of. I checked. I searched all the stories in the FFVIII section, and this couple has not existed up until now. **

**I AM BREAKING NEW GROUND!!**

**cough Anyway, let me know what you think. Reviewing is optional, but helpful. Flames are cool, too.**

**See ya next chapter! **


	2. Introduction Part 2

**Author's Note: Many thanks to – **Daniel Wesley Rydell,Eloide, andnaysaysfire** for reviewing!**

**Summeray: Seifer, in an effort to find as place where he won't be criticized for what he had done, leaves Garden and travels.**

**Rating: PG – 13**

**In the Moment**

_By: Mazzie May_

_Introduction Part Two_

Seifer was a very independent man. He didn't ask for help. Not if he could help it. He was a leader, not a follower. He didn't need someone to show him where to go, what to say. He didn't need a map, he'd make his own. He was very good at relying on himself and coming up with his own answers. He'd had 18 years of experience with it. Very few were as good at it as he was. He didn't need anybody, but damn it! Why hadn't Instructor Trepe called yet?!

He was out of ideas. He had no idea where to try next. He knew he couldn't apply at another Garden, and he'd rather die than go back to Balamb. Timber was too boring for him and Delling, Ha! It had been silly to come here in the first place. He should've just sold the ticket, and bought a new one for some where else. _But where else? _He thought angrily. _Where will no one bother me?_

Now, as I said before, Seifer was independent. It made him strong willed. He was a rock, strong and true. A mountain, even, and no wind could move him. But I'd be damned if he didn't fell insecure when children pointed and cried when they saw him, or when mothers gathered their small ones and darted for their houses, locking the doors and windows as he passed, or when drunken men and soldiers would pick fights with him when he entered a restaurant or bar. A mountain can beat the wind, but water can erode it away.

It was very hard on him. Not that he'd ever admit it, mind you. No, Seifer Almasy is too proud for that. In fact, he has enough pride to choke a horse. Which is why he was expelled from Gardens everywhere. He refused to admit he was wrong. He became a Sorceress' Knight. To hell with ethics or consequences, he'd done something very few ever achieve, he chased a dream.

At least, that's how Edea had phrased it when she spoke in his defense. Seifer wasn't so poetic. But in the end, not even Edea Kramer's pleading would save him. They'd sent him packing and he'd gone with his trade mark smirk. He'd given himself a serious mental ass kicking several times since then, though. He should've apologized and just gone on with life. Hurray for Stubborn Bastardness.

The phone rang.

He slide off the bed reaching for it. Relieved? Who, Seifer? Never. He got back up quickly. "Hello?!" he said in a rush. _Be the Instructor, be the Instructor._ The whole mind-over-matter thing was wasn't his deal, but it worked for Selphie like a charm. What could it hurt?

A soft laughter could be heard on the other end. "Good to know you're so calm, Mr. Almasy." It _was_ Instructor Trepe. He let a small sigh, before turning tough again.

"I was asleep is all" he lied. "Didn't expect someone to call." He glanced over at his nearly untouched bed. "What do you want?"

She laughed again. "Asleep? At 8:46 PM? Dear me, you must be terribly tired from all your travels, Mr. Almasy". She was teasing him, not something he was too found of. But he'd let it go. He'd learned to be cool about that kind of thing. "Anyway" she continued, amusement still in her voice. He could tell she was smiling. "I just thought I'd check in on you."

"Oh, yeah? Why?" He was still playing meanie. He'd told her specifically where she could reach him, just so she would call. It'd been awhile sense he'd talked to anyone who didn't hate him. Steve had been nice, but it wasn't the same.

"Oooh, I don't know." She was playing the game with him. On purpose, too. He was kind of embarrassed at how he was handling this, but she didn't seem to mind, and it was working so he just shrugged to himself. "I wanted to thank you for the lovely presents. Even if they tend to momentarily blind me." She spat out the last part.

He snickered. That Moomba had been a very loud orange. He hadn't been sure what was brighter – the Moomba or the sun. The cactuar he'd sent her from Timber was a radioactive, neon green concoction, and the little blue alien thing was electric blue. He bought the blue plushie because it resembled monster on a card from Triple Triade. Pupu, or something. Whatever, it was still cute. "Yeah, thought I'd keep up the tradition."

"Mm, yes, indeed. But now, I'm sure realize you'll have to send me some outrageous stuffed animal from where ever you go" she told him. He could almost hear her smile.

"Well, whatever" he sat on the bed. "So, I guess now you're gonna tell me how everyone's doing, aren't you?" She laughed on the other end. Okay, so that was a totally obvious way of asking how everyone was, without really asking. It didn't necessarily mean that he missed them, he was just curious.

"Yes! Actually I just was" she chimed in. She was still playing for him. "So, who would you like to hear about first?"

"Ugh, I don't care." he ran a hand through his hair. "I dunno… how's the Messenger Girl?"

"Well, Miss Tilmitt's hair has gotten so long! All the way to her waist! She hasn't mellowed out at all, though. Still as hyper as ever."

"She still has that stupid web site?"

"Yes"

He grimaced. "Hyne, isn't that the gayest thing you've ever seen?"

She laughed. "Now, Mr. Almasy, be nice. Moving on, I relayed your message to Mr. Dincht. I'm sure he'll take to heart." She laughed some more and he cackled. "Mr. Kinneas returned to Galbadia, his home Garden. Miss Tilmitt, managed to steal his hat, though, and where's it everyday." He snorted.

"Religiously, I bet"

"Mr. Almasy" she said sternly.

"Yeah, yeah. Who else is there? I'm tired" he stifled a yawn. Surprisingly, he was indeed tired.

"Well, Fujin and Raijin are fine. You've been keeping in contact with them, have you not?" He'd been sending them postcards, but that was about it. He couldn't have called Fujin, she wouldn't talk to him, and he could only take so many 'Ya know?'s from Raijin. "So, you know how they're doing."

There was a slight pause. Only two people were left; Squall and Rinoa. It's not that he was jealous of them, but he was a mad that in Squall finding a place to be, Seifer had lost his comfort zone. It was irritating. He could tell Instructor Trepe wasn't sure what to say, and thought that she was going to just say Good night, before she said "Miss Heartly cut her hair"

He blinked. "W-what?!" All the curiosity he'd been holding back exploded into that one word. "Yes. It's just below her chin now." He was shocked, speechless. "It looks good." She added quickly. "And she's still the same as ever. Mr. Leonheart's still Mr. Leonheartl. Full of lots of 'Whatever's and ……." She stopped talking to imitate his constant silence. It made him laugh. "Hee, well, then, if you're tired, I'll let you be, Mr. Almasy"

"No, ah…" Shoot. He just screwed that one up. He was really tired. He'd be back to his quick, mean self in the morning, he promised himself he just needed sleep.

Instructor Trepe seemed to catch on, and acted as if he hadn't said anything. "Oh, before I go, one more thing; where are you heading next?"

He leaned backwards unto the bed and stared at the ceiling. "I.. don't know" he replied honestly.

"Hmmm" she made that thinking sound deep in her throat. "May I make a suggestion?"

"Yes."

"Esthar".

"Esthar?" The Great City, Esthar? Hidden by a hologram on an endless image of the Great Salt Lake? Why the hell should he go way the fuck out there?

"Yes, Esthar. Think about it; look where it's located, in the middle of no where, so no one would follow you. Its location makes it so Esthar's contact with the rest of the world is rare." She paused, gathering her thoughts and warming to the idea. "And its political stand point makes it efficient all on its own, so there's very little need for trade with any city out of its bounds. And they don't pay much attention to what's going outside their city – except for political parties and negotiators – so no one on the street would take notice to you. And even if they knew about the Sorceress, they wouldn't know her Knight – least of all what he looks like."

She paused again, but this time to take a breath. "And thanks to the weather and surroundings and isolation immigration traffic is extremely low, so the chance of someone who actually knows who you are, are slim. And the chances of you actually running into that person in a city as large as Esthar… well, those chances are just astronomical." She took a moment to breathe again, and added in her 'I'm-instructor-I-know-everything tone, "Astronomical means never" He rolled his eyes.

She continued. "You just can't run into someone like that in that big a city. No one would know about you or your past. It'd be a good place to go, and at least worth a looksie, don't you think?"

He'd listened to everything she had said and thought about it. It really seemed like a good idea. But he'd never been to Esthar, and if what she said was true, then she hadn't been there recently. What if things had changed? _Well, it's at least worth a look_. One more thing, though. "Are you going to tell anyone?"

"Tell them what? That I haven't seen you in sense you left and I haven't heard a peep out of you like the rest of them?" she said in a kind voice. She wasn't going to tell. That was cool.

"Alright… I guess I could at least check it out." He said.

"To Esthar!" She agreed. "Call me when you get there. It's an order. I know people there that can help get started there."

"Yeah, yeah."

"Good night, Mr. Alma -" she interrupted herself. "Oh! Do you know how you're getting there?"

He mentally slapped himself and physically rubbed his temple. Damn complications. "Uhm, walk across the old railroad, past FH, and then go through the Great Salt Lake, I guess"

"That's quite the walk, Mr. Almasy" she mummered quietly, followed by a sigh. "Believe me, I've taken that walk. And it's no stroll. Not only is it long and tiring, but it's dangerous, too". _Oh no.._ "I don't like the idea of going alone." _No, no, no, no._ "You know how important teams are, don't you?" _Nonononononono!!_

And here comes the infamous team work speech. Seifer hated this speech. _Hated_ it. He leaned back on the bed and held the phone away from his ear. But even then, he couldn't escape it; his mind recited it with her, as he'd heard it so many times. He groaned and covered his face with a pillow. _We are humans. Humans need people, blah, blah, blah. When we're in trouble, we group up. Communities are made up of groups of people, yadda, yadda. Teams are most efficient. Working together can bring blah, blah. A sense of satisfactory and completion and trust will be shared among you. Being able to trust means, - _I don't care – _and SeeD is made of trust. SeeDs work in teams and – _don't care, don't care, don't care – _to reach our goal! Now go out and be a team player!_

"Ugh.." he grumbled under the pillow. _Hate that speech._ He removed the pillow when he heard her voice stop. He placed the receive back by his ear. "Are you done yet?"

He could just see her scowling at him ignoring the team work speech, but didn't scold him. "Yes, yes, I'm done. But that doesn't mean I'm not worried. Call from FH, okay?"

"Whatever".

"Goodnight, Mr. Almasy, and stay safe." She smothered a yawn; he could hear her hand slide against her phone.

" 'Night." She hung up, he hung up. He shrugged off his grey trench coat and lay back down. _Esthar, huh? Well, I guess it couldn't hurt. _He drifted off. _Wonder who she knows there._

**Author's Note: Wooo, second chapter up. But I think it'll still be another chapter or so before he actually gets to Esthar. I meant to post this sooner, but I got distracted, sorry. And eheheheh. Those darn spelling errors, sneaking in like that… I'd like to blame that on the fact that I was typing at, like, 3 am, but really, I was typing it at like, 10 pm, soo… I am a loser. Also, I promise Seifer will be more Seifer next chapter. I was just showing that when you're tired and everybody hates you, it's hard to be tough sometimes.**

**If it's that big a deal, I can go back and repost it. It's up to all of you.**

**Anyway, yeah. Comments? Suggestions? Threats? R&R **

**See ya next chapter!**


	3. Number Two

**Author's Note: Ha ha, I finally updated.**

**Summary: Seifer, in an effort to find as place where he won't be criticized for what he had done, leaves Garden and travels.**

**Rating: Whatever the equivalent to PG is, I think.**

In the Moment By: Mazzie May 

_Number two_

_Beep. Beep. Beep_

Seifer opened one eye a sliver.

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

He blinked and opened both eyes, immediately regretting it.

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

The sun was brightly shinning through his hotel window. Almost as if it was pressed up against the glass saying, 'I see you!'

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

He rolled over slowly, closed his eyes and sighed.

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

As he opened his eyes to glare at the alarm clock that made that shrill beeping, he cried out and brought the pillow over his face.

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

The sun light was coming in through the window and reflecting off the large body mirror on the closet door. Again 'I see you!'

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

"Shut up…" he grumbled loudly from under his pillow. He reached over blindly.

_Beep. Beep. Be-_

_Crash!_

The annoying piece of machinery was now very broken on the floor. Why reach for the 'Off' button, when you can just break it? Seifer removed the over stuffed pillow from his face and rolled onto his stomach, reaching for his trench coat. Just out of reach. _Damn._

He scooted over more and grabbed it by the sleeve, yanking it to him. Sluggishly, he sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Seifer yawned – rather loudly, I might add – as he opened his coat in an effort to find his pocket watch.

Sounds silly, doesn't it? Seifer Almasy using pocket watches; like the type you see snobbish old men or dignified general's use. But, actually, it's not all that strange. Everyone in Garden was giving one. Like a kind of proof that you were there. He kept it. He almost expected the Headmaster to ask for it back. But he didn't, and Seifer was a little more than grateful. It's not like he'd been glad to leave garden. In fact, he didn't want to leave at all…

He rotated his head in an effort to pop his neck. He didn't need to be thinking about that kind of thing. He stuffed the pocket watch away and removed the covers, swinging his legs over the side of the bed.

Now, one wouldn't say Seifer wasn't a morning person. He just didn't like getting up until noon-ish. That's not to say he wasn't awake, however. Seifer would normally wake up around nine, but would just stay wrapped up in his blankets until Fujinn and Rajinn dragged him out. Every so often it was Instructor Trepe who did the honors.

He leaned forward and blinked as he blindly reached for his boots. He laced up the military boots automatically as he scanned the grey carpet for his shirt.

He found it. At some point during the night, it'd falling off the chair he'd tossed it on.

He snatched it up and pulled it over his head. The long sleeved dark, almost black, purple turtle-neck was snug, but not constricting. His outfit was pretty much the same, only different colours. Seifer feared changed, you see.

Dark purple turtle-neck: 450 Gil.

White vest with red lining: 380 Gil.

Black pants with purple lining: 600 Gil.

Constructing an outfit that goes with the trench coat: Priceless.

One thing about Seifer that no one will ever be able to change; the trench coat. He would change his style according to the coat. He loved it. _Loved_, people. Loved. I think if he had to choose between his cherished gunblade and the coat, he'd be kissing the gunblade good-bye.

'Course, that wasn't a happy thought, either. That was besides the point, though. The point was, Seifer was loading up his things and heading to FH. Whether or not he called Instructor Trepe and asking for help from the people she knows there, though… that's a completely different story.

Well, no, it wasn't. But it's not something he would consider. He made it this far, hadn't he? He didn't need the instructor's support. After making sure Hyperion was secure, he slung his bad over his shoulder and walked out of the hotel room Number 002.

Meanwhile, in Seifer's destination of Esthar, President Laguna Loire walked stiffly down the glass and metal hall that lead away from his office. It had been a long day of thick negotiations and heated debates. Laguna drew pretty pictures on his note pad while all of it took place.

Laguna liked to doodle. Oh, yes he did.

But now, the meetings were over and the time for drawing had ended; he had a new mission assigned to him. Kiros jogged-walk behind him, trying to keep up. "Laguna, listen to me. You're the president, you don't need to go on this 'mission' you keep talking about."

Laguna didn't even look over his shoulder. "Kiros, this is important. I have to"

"Why? Why do you have to? What is the 'mission'?" His robs were heavy, weighing him down.

"I know what must be done", Laguna nodded to himself as he spoke. "I have to do it alone"

Kiros halted as Laguna stopped at the door. A large door painted lavender, with gold insignias all about it. Laguna reached forward and latched onto the handle. With complete seriousness, "I'll be back when I can"

"How long will that be?" Kiros was actually worried now. There was nothing that Laguan knew that he didn't. Every bit of information spoken, every paper read, every grant made Kiros knew hours, sometimes days, before Laguna. So what was this super serious mission?

"Who knows, Kiros…" Laguna opened the door and stepped inside. "It's number two".

Laguna closed the door to the bathroom behind.

And Kiros blinked, trying hard not to be mad. After all these years with Laguna, things like this still surprised him. How odd.

Author's Note: Well, after two corrupted files, one computer melt down and a battle with pneumonia, this chapter has been posted. It's total shit and a complete filler. You people deserve better than this and I'm working on the fourth chapter as I post this.

Thanks to everyone who's reviewed!

Oh, and we'll see more of the other characters in later chapters.


	4. Rumors

**Author's Note: Ha ha, I finally updated.**

**Summary: Seifer, in an effort to find as place where he won't be criticized for what he had done, leaves Garden and travels. He writes his old instructor, informing her of his findings.**

**Rating: Whatever the equivalent to PG is, I think.**

**In the Moment**

_By: Mazzie May_

Quistis sighed as she leaned back in her large and comfy chair behind her desk. It had been a long day.

_And it just got longer_, she thought as Zell Dincht slid into the classroom, seven seconds before 16:00, the set time he was required to be there. She glared over her glasses at him, and he blushed terrible, shuffling to over to the front desk and taking a seat.

Leaning forward and popping her neck, Quistis rolled her eyes. Zell was receiving only so-so grades in her Advanced Placement: Complex Junctioning class. He'd hardly managed to pass it last year, but he was so determined to take the AP version of it, she couldn't refuse him. He really did like the class and never skipped it. But But now it's come back to bit him in the butt.

_Which is why I'm wasting my afternoon here_. Another bitter thought. The night before mid-terms of last semester, Zell had shown up at her door in the Instructor's Dormitory in near tears, begging her to help him study. Desperate to avoid a scene and not being able to stand seeing any student in that kind of situation she let him and cracked open the books. They ended up studying the rest of the night and the next morning. He was struggling so much, she ended up having to call in a sub for her morning classes and excuse Zell from his.

When it was time for the class with the actual test in it, she and Zell walked into the classroom together looking half dead. Quistis ended up passing out the test and then laid her head down on the table, sleeping. Two days later she past backed the graded test and Zell had received a B plus, an un heard of record high for him.

Now, by that time the rumors had already started. Some female students had seen him sneak into the instructor dormitory and watched Quistis let him in. And then, when both were no where to be seen the following morning, the gossip really picked up. Both walking into to class looking like they hadn't slept a wink didn't help the case either. But now that Zell had gotten such a good grade, nearly everyone was convinced that the two were "deeply involved in the forbidden love between teacher and student" and all sorts of nonsense.

Quistis had gotten wind of it by the end of the first day when a fellow instructor brought it to her attention. Over the next two days she did a fairly good job of dispelling the lies. But when she passed back that mid-term, Zell had looked up at her with tear clouded eyes of disbelieve. Later, when she was heading back to her room, Zell had met her in the hall and hugged her. He was just so happy that he wasn't going to fail.

And, of course, everyone was there to see it.

And, of course, the rumors started anew.

And, this time, there was nothing she could do about it.

Though, in an effort to at least _try_ and put an end to it all, Quistis refused to do anymore late night studying with him. However, when she told him that, he again looked as though he might cry. Feeling more than a sting of guilt, she agreed to help him after both his and her classes were through.

The whole thing could've been avoided had he passed the regulatory exam. It's one thing to become a SeeD, and another to stay one. All Garden students who become SeeDs must take tri-monthly tests to make sure they're still qualified to remain a SeeD. Zell failed two in a row, and has to take refresher courses in the sections he did most poorly in.

He wasn't alone, however. Several former students of hers have returned to her classes, heads bowed in shame. Selphie Tilmett was one of them. Though she never failed any of Quistis classes, she did fail the same subject for the last two tests.

Item Managing.

Quistis felt sympathy for the girl. Item Managing was a tough mathematical procedure, and Quistis was thankful that this checking up process was not required of her when she first became a SeeD. She'd only passed with a 62.

She pursed her lips together in distaste at the memory and moved around to the front of her desk, leaning against it and folding her arms as Zell pulled out his book, composition note book and a pen.

"Do you remember where we left off at, Mr. Dincht?" She asked, half turning from him to grab her book, _Instructors Guide to Complex Junctioning._ What a bland title. Oh, well. She turned back to find Zell filing through his small note book.

"Uhm, uhm… yeah, I just… gotta find it…"

She brought her right hand to her forehead and sighed, something she picked up from Squall. She wasn't hiding a scowl, however. She was smiling. It was just so Zell. She looked over at him through her fingers. He kept having to push his hair from his face, as he focused hard on finding where they left off.

"Heh…" She breathed out. The door slid open, and she dropped her hand looking to see who it was. A Junior Cadet, probably a first year, stood in the doorway, looking very shy.

"Yes? Come in."

Zell looked up and was watching the younger girl as she made her way to Quistis slowly. Quistis flashed a kind smile, and the girl blushed and looked down. That's when she noticed the young girl had a light orange, nearly coral ribbon tied around her left forearm. The sign of a Trepe.

With a sigh, Quistis tapped her forehead a moment before tilting her head back, while still smiling at the girl. "What may I help you with, cadet?"

The small girl jumped and brought her hands forward, revealing a small, but long box. Quistis guessed it to be smaller than her forearm but not by much. The cadet continued looking at her shoes. "Th-this came in the m-mail for you, Instructor Trepe… The, uh, the mail attendant asked me t-to give it to you since I w-was heading this way anyw-way."

Quistis took the box and flipped it over to look at the top. Her eyes widened. In all capitals, it read:

**FOR INSTRUCTOR TREPE**

"Doesn't say who it's from so…" The little girl began playing with her sleves. Quistis knew who it was from.

Quistis nodded, not really listening. "Yes, yes. Thank you, cadet. That will be all." The little girl squeaked, looking up. Quistis turned to her, the smile slipping slowly. "Dismissed" she said.

The cadet's eyes widened, but she gave a sloppy salute and headed for the door in a hurry. It slid closed behind her with a soft _shink_.

Zell watched her go, then turned to his instructor. She seemed to be examining the box careful. "Mr. Dincht…" Zell looked up from the box to her.

"Huh?"

She didn't look up, but stayed focused on the box. "Would you mind if we didn't have our lesson today?" He blinked at her, confused.

"Well, uh, yeah. I mean, no, I don't mind. Yeah we cannot have the lesson."

She turned and walked behind her desk. She opened a drawer and pulled out a letter opener, stabbed the box, then pulled the office tool across. Quistis didn't sit in her chair as much as she dropped down in it.

She held the box away from her, at arms length, and use the letter opener to flip the flaps open, slowly. Had she been looking at Zell, she'd have seen the huge question make hanging over his head. He stood and walked around her desk, standing behind her and the chair, looking over her shoulder.

"HA!" Quistis called out happily. Zell couldn't see what was inside the box. She pulled out a small, yellow doll. A chocobo. A very bright, yellow chocobo. "Not going to make that mistake again," she whispered.

She held it out to look at it, then held it up for Zell to take. Again, she wasn't looking at him. He took the plushie, looked it over, and then held it to his chest as Quistis retrieved an envelope from the bottom of the box.

It was a really faded yellow, like old lace, and had deep green, fancy lettering in the bottom left hand corner, saying:

Fishermen's Horizon

Sunrise is the Perfect Time

Quistis made a soft "Ooo" sound, and opened the letter. Zell read over her shoulder, still holding the chocobo.

_Dear Instructor,_

_I'm passing through FH today, obviously. It's still pretty early in the day, so I'm going to keep going. _

Quistis' eye twitched. "What..?"

Zell squinted at the messy, block handwriting. All capitals. He had no idea who it was.

_I'm just taking the time to write this. It won't be too long. I appreciate the offer, but I don't think I'll need any help from your friends in Esthar._

"What?" she asked again.

Zell swallowed.

_I talked to one of the guys here. He says he heads to Esthar every couple of days to see his grand kids, or something. Today is one of those days, so I'm going to follow him. I mentioned the way you, Edea and the twinks got in last time. He laughed, saying there was a much safer, much more legal way._

Quistis made a face that, and began tapping her fingers on her desk.

Zell leaned forward, his right hand on her desk, his chin nearly on her shoulder, reading.

_To be honest, I almost turned the guy down just so I could get in the way you did. If the Chicken-Wuss can do it, I know I can._

Quistis stopped tapping her fingers and smiled a little.

Zell's arm twitched. She didn't notice.

_But I want to get there by night and find a room. Anyway, we're heading out now. I'll write when I get to Esthar._

_Seifer Almasy_

Quistis didn't even set the letter down when the chocobo was on her desk and Zell was heading for the door. She hadn't realized he was reading over her shoulder.

"Mr. Dincht, wait!" She jumped out of her chair, almost knocking the Chocobo off. A few students were coming in for their night class. Neither of them noticed.

He turned to her, looking very upset. "When I asked if you had heard from, you said you hadn't! You've been talking to him all along, right?" The students took their seats.

"Zell, please, try to understand…" She tried to straighten the doll, and Zell cursed.

"No! You lied to me!" The students eyes widened as they looked from one to the other. "And-And you that's how you talk about me, when I'm not around?"

Quistis was getting angry. "Listen! I'm just helping him! He needs _some_one to be on his side! Someone has to be there!"

Zell shook his head and punched the wall. "No, no! I'm telling Squall!" He glared hard at her through unshed tears. Before she got another word out, he ran out of the door, no doubt heading towards Squall's room.

Quistis briefly considered going after him, but was too drained. She plopped into her chair. She wasn't worried about Squall's reaction. He might be disappointed with her, but he would understand once she talked to him. Zell, though… Zell was just too emotional. He was the one who was going to loose in this.

Quistis took her hair out its bun and ran her fingers through to her scalp and sighed. As she looked up the chocobo she noticed all of the students and a few fellow instructors staring at her.

With a groan, she dropped her head to the desk. _I can see it now_, she though with little humor. "_Instructor and Student Lover's Quarrel: Mysterious Third Man!" It'll be all over the school newspaper tomorrow…_ Cid was going to want to have a word with her later.

She drew her arms up, and rested her chin on them. She looked lazily at her students, before sitting up sharply, standing, and pinning her hair back in its bun, saying crisply, "Alright, class. Show's over. Books out."

**Authors Note: I am so sorry it took this long. After my second computer meltdown, I just didn't have the heart to rewrite it all. It was so depressing to see it all go again. But I've gotten new inspiration, so here it is! Next Chapter: Enter Miss Heartly and Mr. Leonheart.**

**Read and Review (assuming you're still reading the story)**


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